Improvement in gas-meters



2 shets-shen 2..

A. C. BLOUNT. Gas-Meter.

No. 204,188. Patented May`2l8, 1878.

N-PETERS.' PIIMUTHOGRAWER. WASHINGTON. CJA c UNITED ,STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ALEXANDER c. BLoUNT, oE rAscAGoULA, MISSISSIPPI.,

||v| PRovEM ENT iN GAS-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,188, dated May 28, 1878; application filed March 13, 1878.

To all -whom 'it may concern.-

'Be it known thatl, ALEXANDER G. BLoUNT, of Pascagoula, in the county of Jackson and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Gas-Meter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an elevation of my improved gas-meter, having certain parts removed or broken away to s how the interior construction, on one side in elevation, on the other in section. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a valvegear connection usedtherein. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same in the line ac a'. Fig. 4 is a plan view of my improved gas-meter; and Fig. 5 is a central horizontal section through its middle chamber, showing one of the packing-chambers in full.

The nature of my invention consists in cerf tain constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, hereinafter fullydescribed and specifically claimed, whereby a' gas-meter is produced which is very easily operated by the slightest pressure of gas, and which is not liable to leak.

In the drawings, A represents the outer Yshell of a gas-meter; a, its bottom, and al its top cover.

`The inner space is divided into a number of chambers, in the following manner: An.

upper chamber, B, is formed by a horizontal partition, b. Two middle chambers, Bl B2, are formed by partitions b, and a lower partition, b, and a vertical central partition, b2, extending from partition b to the bottom a. Between the partitions bl b2 andbottom a chambers B3 B4 are formed. The chambers B Bl are connected by means of an angular pipe, C1, and the chambers Bz B3 are oonnected by a similar pipe, G2. The chambers B B1 and B B2 are connected by ports'd d1,

between which an exhaust-port, d2, Acommunicates with an eduction-pipc, D, below, connected with an outer eduction-pipe, Dl, of the meter. An induction-pipe, D2, conducts the gas into the chamber B of the meter. The partition bl is provided with two central cylindrical vessels, E, extending into the chambers below, and one of them opening into chamber B1, the other into chamber B2.v The bottoms e of the vessels E are provided with holes c1, whereby they communicate with the chambers below the partition b1. An annular chamber, c2, is formed in each vessel E by a concentric wall, Fil, of smaller diameter, which chamber is filled with mercury tov form a liquid packing, and wherein a hood-valve, F, on a central stem or rod, f, moves up and down. The stem f passes through a stufling-box, f1, in the partition b, and is above that connected by means of a link, f2, with a balance-lever,

G. The fulcrum-rod g of the balance-lever' Gr is hung in bearings a2 of the chamber B, and bymeans of a lever, gl, and pawl g2 operates the ratchetwheel h of an ordinary counting or registering apparatus, H, of the meter.

An arm, I, provided with screw-threads, is attached to the rod g, and has a forked plate, J, fastened to it by means of thumb-nuts t i. Through the slot, or between the prongs j of the forked plate J, a rod, K,passes, which has its fulcrum at k, and to the upper part of which an oblong box, L, is fastened. On each f side of the rod K the box L has a ball, l, placed in it, which follows the declination of the box. The lower ends of the box L are supported by a brace, M, which is fastenedto the lower part of the rod K, and has two tap pet-arms, m., whereby it moves a slide-valve, N. The slidevalve N has a1 longitudinal guide-rod, n, tted into lugs nl, and an exhaust-chamber, n2, and slides over the face of the ports d dl d2, similar to the slide-valveof a steam-engine. In practice, the partition b1 is slightly depressed around the vessels E, in order to cause the mercury to liiow back into its annular chamber e2, if by accident it should have been caused to leave the same.

There should beatube (indicated at t) around the valve-openings d all, which tubes should project a little way into the chambers B1 and B2, to prevent the mercury from escaping into and through the valve in case of the overturn ing of the meter. There'should also be tubes (indicated at t) around the stuffing-boxes f1, which tubes should descend alittle way into the chambers Bl and B2, to yprevent the escape of mercury through the stuffing-boxes in case of overturning the meter.

Operation: Gas from one of the gas-mains is' from above, and the hood F in chamber B,

. below in the vessel E. The positions of the an opposite inclined position.

and the exhaust-port d2 is, by means ofthe introduced through the pipe D2 into the chamber B, and, the port d* being open, the gas passes through it into the chamber B2 and through the pipe C2 into the chamber B3, whence it enters the vessel E through the opening el. The hood Fin chamber B2, being at its highest elevation, is now depressed by the pressure of the gas which was at the end of its downstroke, is now moved up by the pressure of the gas from levers G and I are thus reversed, and the plate J moves the rod K, and with it the box L, into While the box L is being reversed the balls l remain at the right termination of their course until the box L has assumed a horizontal position; but as soon as it begins to incline over to the left the balls suddenly roll to the left termination of their courses, and by their momentum and weight instantly finish the oscillating stroke of the box L, and thus cause the valve N to quickly and properly complete its stroke. By this operation the port Z becomes opened,

exhaust-chamber n2, connectedl with the port d1. The gas in the chamber B now enters the chamber B1 through the port d, and the chamber B4 through the pipe Cl, and the vessel E through the opening el. By the pressure of the gas, the position ofthe hoods F F becomes reversed again, and thus the capacity of the chambers B2 and B3 becomes reduced, so that a portion of gas is driven therefrom, through the opening el, the pipe G2, the port d1, the chamber n, and the port d2, into the pipe D and Dl, from whence it is conducted to the chandeliers of the building. As fast as the gas is consumed the supply-gas from pipe D2 ilows through the meter in the described way,

reversing the position of the hoods F and the valve N, and at each upstroke the left hood F pushes the wheel h one tooth forward, thereby registering the amount of gas delivered into the pipe D1.

The slot j, Figs. V2 and 3, is made of such width and is fastened to the arm I at such al. titude that the rod K has a certain amount of play therein, in order that the box L shall be other metal packing in that the gas cannot corrode it, and also has the advantage over other liquid packing in that it does not evap orate nor freeze, nor become gummed and stiff.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

valve-chamber B, havingports d. dl d2 and valve N, the chambers Bl B2 B3 B4, having pipes C* C2, the operatinghood F, the lever Gr, arm I, and rod K, and the tappet-arms m m', whereby the circulation of the gas through the measuring mechanism is eected, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the oscillating box L, provided with two chambers, in each of which a ball is placed, the rod K, tappets m, rock-shaft G, arm I, and forked plate J, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the perforated vessels E, rigid movable hoods F, gas-chambers for supplying the gas alternately to the inner and outer surfaces of the tops of the respective hoods, so that one' hood shall ascend while the other descends, a slide-valve, N, and appropriate mechanism for imparting sudden action to the valve, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the rock-shaft g, arm I, forked plate J, and oscillating rod K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand, in the matter of my application for a patent for an improved gas-meter, this 11th day of March, A. D. 1878.

ALEXANDER C. BLOUNT.

Witnesses:

T. B. MORRELL, Jr., HENRY G. HAWKINs.

1. In a gas-meter, the combination of the 

